The next morning crept in almost as quickly as he'd collapsed into bed, his body hollowed and spirit frayed. Nearly half his spiritual power had been burned away in a desperate attempt to slip past the relentless sensory field of the supernatural that hunted him all night.
Mason got up in a hurry and dressed for school, skipping breakfast and his usual early morning routine.
Today was a special day—not for Mason, but for every other kid in the country.
It was the day of the spirit selection program.
Much like every other kid in the world, it was a chance to make their dreams and wishes come true—a chance to enroll in the Caster's Academy. For many, it was the first step toward becoming something greater, a chance to turn their lives around.
In a world where an individual's spirit powers decided their fate, enrolling in the Caster's Academy was the ultimate goal. It was the path to recognition, power, and a future beyond an ordinary life. A chance to live a better life for them and their family.
The Caster's Academy is a prestigious school in Metro City, known for training spirit caster's from all over the city. Being enrolled was an honor, as few could meet the academy's strict requirements.
Only the most talented and determined were granted the chance to step through its gates.
After all, it was owned and managed by the city's most powerful and influential citizens. In medieval times, they would have been considered nobles, their wealth and status shaping the academy into the elite institution it was today.
These high-status individuals were also deeply involved in the city's political factions. For average people like Mason and his friends, the likelihood of getting in was slim.
As Mason walked into the classroom, all eyes turned to him—the teacher's gaze fixed on him, along with the watchful eyes of two individuals, a man and woman—dressed in sleek black suits. The room fell silent, an unspoken tension hanging in the air.
"Are your students always this late?" The woman asked, her tone sharp as her gaze hardened. Her impression of Mason dropped rapidly, clearly irritated by his tardiness.
"Forgive me madam, Mason here has a bad habit of arriving late for school, you see he comes from far away." His teacher offered a reassuring smile.
His teacher, Mr. John, chuckled nervously, scrambling to ease the tension. He tried his best to keep her pleased, even resorting to a white lie.
"Is that right? Well it doesn't matter anyways, all that matters is a result of the evaluation so please don't waste our time." She spoke harshly, her words cutting through the air and putting Mr. John in an even more uncomfortable position
"My apologies, Mason! Take your seat!" He ordered immediately, his voice firm, and Mason quickly rushed back to his seat, the weight of the room's gaze pressing on him.
"What's happening?" He asked his friends as he sat down next to them, his voice low and audible so he couldn't be heard.
"Who knows? The moment we got to class, they showed up and Mr John's being riled up ever since."
"Yeah, I've never seen him so up in his boots like that, it's almost like he's afraid of them or something. Who do you think they are? FBI agents maybe?"
"I doubt the FBI has any business with Mr John, especially in school."
"Listen up!" Mr John exclaimed, raising his hand to silence the murmurs that filled the room.
"Thank you, Mr john." man in the black suit extended his pleasantries, his voice smooth as he walked to the front of the class, the woman following closely beside him. The room fell silent again as everyone watched with curiosity.
"A-hem." He cleared his throat as he began.
"My name is Leon Montclair, although a good number of you have no need to know, this is my associate, Miss Lillian Montclair. We are active agents for the Spirit Caster's academy."
Murmurs spread throughout the classroom, rising in volume as students exchanged whispers. Both agents exchanged a quick glance, their expressions hardening with visible annoyance and irritation at the disruption.
"Silence!" Mr. John exclaimed immediately, sensing the growing tension.
The class fell silent once more, the tension thick in the air. Leon cleared his throat again with a subtle hint of frustration in his voice, hoping that would be the last interruption they'd face with their time here.
"Like I said, we are agents of the Spirit Caster's academy, our job is to actively seek new and suitable recruits for the caster's academy which brings me to the reason I'm here. We-"
"We had no choice." Lillian chimed in, her tone sharp and tired of his grumbling.
"Personally I was displeased to find out that I was coming here, look at you, weak, feeble minded, regardless of whether you awakened or not I can barely sense any spirit power from you lots, and you wish to become students of the caster's academy?"
Her energy flared violently, flames erupting around her like a wildfire. The sheer force of her aura sent desks and empty chairs flying across the room, crashing into walls. The students shrank back in fear, their eyes wide as the heat and pressure pressed down on them.
"Students of the Spirit Caster's academy do not cower under the might of others, they stand their ground to the very end, no matter what it takes. I suggest you take this lesson to heart."
The fiery aura around her body vanished instantly as she closed her eyes and crossed her arms, the room settling into an eerie calm.
The students, still recovering from the shock, sat frozen in awe, completely mesmerized by her display of power and control.
"Damn... So that's it means to be a Spirit Caster." Peters whispered, his voice barely audible and trembling as he sat frozen in his seat.
"Thank you Lillian, your fiery words of encouragement are always... Helpful. Now that we've introduced ourselves, let's get straight down to business."
"And what's that sir?" One of the students dared to ask.
"Isn't it obvious? We came here to recruit capable Spirit caster's."